Day Ten
1 Corinthians 13:4- 8
Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. Love never comes to an end.
Reflection
The first characteristic of love that St. Paul describes is patience. A loving person is patient with others, always, not just sometimes. I don't know about you, but I can't say that I'm "always" patient, kind, etc... In other words, I'm on the way to perfect love. God is not finished with me yet. As long as we are still running the race of faith we are on the right track. We should not be discouraged by our lack of love at times. After all, that's what sin is: a lack of love. It is a lack of love for God, for others and for ourselves, and none of us are completely without sin.
Love is intimately connected with truth: it "finds its joy" in it. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." Scripture also tells us, "God is love." So, God, who is love, finds his joy in Jesus, who is the truth, and is also God, one in Being with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is a perfect communion and example of eternal love. Our destiny is eternal life with this Most loving God in an intimate union of heart, mind and soul.
Prayer
Loving God, eternal mystery of perfect harmony, infuse my cold heart with the warmth of your majestic presence. Enable me to love as you love, putting others before myself and bearing with all the trials in my life.
Amen.
